Statement of Support for the Department of Education
on Improving Student Outcomes and Making
K to 12 Graduates Employable

19 July 2024 – We, the undersigned organizations representing various sectors of the Philippine economy, warmly welcome Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara, as he assumes leadership of the Department of Education (DepEd). We stand united in support of the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to the Secretary to prioritize the employability of senior high school (SHS) graduates. We recognize the vital role Filipino youths play in our nation’s workforce and future prosperity.

The job market continues to present challenges to recent graduates who are entering a competitive environment. There is a continued mismatch between the guaranteed skills and preparedness of SHS graduates and their actual skills, discouraging employers from hiring them. This, coupled with concerns regarding learning gaps in basic education, continues to create a barrier to successful employment.

While it is encouraging to see the increase in employers’ willingness to hire SHS graduates, from 60 percent in 2018 to 87 percent in 2024, as indicated in the 2024 Jobs Outlook Survey by Philippine Business for Education, we need to further increase industry participation in education.

These challenges in SHS present an opportunity for the private sector to enhance learners’ skills and support the Department in building a stronger, more prepared workforce. As such, we commit to collaborating with DepEd to improve SHS outcomes by:

1. Providing inputs to the curriculum to improve technical and employability skills;
2. Opening our doors for longer hours and offering a more targeted work immersion program;
3. Providing industry-relevant training opportunities to teachers and instructors; and
4. Reviewing our hiring processes and policies to make them more equitable for SHS graduates.

We also believe that to effectively address the pervasive learning crisis, we must prioritize improvements in both senior high school and early childhood education and nutrition. We will support the Department, wherever we are able to, in remediation, infrastructure, equipment, technology, and other supporting systems that will help students learn better.

Now, more than ever, we need to work together to support our youth by guaranteeing quality education and boosting their employability, and we look forward to working with the Department of Education in doing so.